L'esplanade Laurier, Office complex in downtown Ottawa, Canada
L'esplanade Laurier is an office complex in downtown Ottawa made up of two 23-story towers joined by a shared base. This base holds a two-level shopping mall and three levels of underground parking below.
The building was completed in 1975 as one of the last federal office complexes built by a private developer for the government. It arose during a period when Ottawa was reshaping its downtown core.
The marble-clad towers shape how people move through downtown, drawing workers and shoppers who use the retail mall and office spaces daily. The design reflects how Ottawa chose to build its center more densely in that era.
The complex occupies an entire block between Bank Street and O'Connor Street, making it accessible from multiple directions. Underground parking is available directly beneath the building, and the shopping areas can be accessed from indoors without going outside.
In 2002 the building closed temporarily when ethylene glycol contaminated the water systems, requiring major cleanup and restoration work. This incident was one of the largest water system contaminations in an urban office building in the region.
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